1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for making foamed products, more particularly to a method for making foamed products having different configurations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a conventional method for making foamed products includes the steps of:
(1) forming a foamed blank 10 by foaming a foamable blank at an elevated temperature, the foamed blank 10 having a top surface 101 and a bottom surface 102;
(2) forming a plurality of first blind holes 12 in the top surface 101 and a plurality of second blind holes 13 in the bottom surface 102 by using a mold 20, the mold 20 including an upper mold part 21 provided with a plurality of first protrusions 211, and a lower mold part 22 provided with a plurality of second protrusions 221, the first and second protrusions 211,221 pressing the top and bottom surfaces 101,102 of the foamed blank 10 to form a molded foamed blank 11 having the first and second blind holes 12,13 in the top and bottom surfaces 101,102, respectively; and
(3) cross-cutting the molded foamed blank 11 along two planes (I,II) so that the molded foamed blank 11 is divided into two first foam sheets 14 having a plurality of through holes 120, and a second foam sheet 15 having no holes.
Although the aforesaid conventional method can be used to fabricate the foam sheet 14 having a plurality of through holes 120, which can be further processed to form an insole (not shown), it has the following shortcomings:
1. The second foam sheet 15 formed from the aforesaid conventional method is devoid of any practical value and is usually discarded.
2. In view of the aforesaid shortcoming, the useful foam sheet 14 made by the conventional method is restricted to a single configuration.
3. Since the upper and lower mold parts 21,22 are separated from each other while the molded foamed blank 11 is still warm, it is difficult to ensure that the molded foamed blank 11 has the first and second blind holes 12,13 with identical configurations, respectively, due to different foaming rates at different sites of the molded foamed blank 11.
4. In view of the same reason as described in the third shortcoming, the first and second blind holes 12,13 of the molded foamed blank 11 are liable to break, especially when the first and second blind holes 12,13 are relatively deep. Therefore, the yield of the conventional method is not satisfactory.